Come back to me
by Forever Cullen
Summary: Living alone Merlin believed he was destined to live alone for all eternity until fate grants him his only wish... Arthur


**A/N: Hey everyone, I hope your all well, This is a co-write I did with Allthingsmagical I hope you enjoy. **

**And please don't forget to R&amp;R x**

_**Title: Come back to me**_

_**Summary: **__**Living alone Merlin believed he was destined to live alone for all eternity until fate grants him his only wish... Arthur**_

A lake that ran past a lone cottage, its only occupant a man in his late twenties had been at calm lake for years, the man who lived in the cottage had seen to that, had owned the land and now the lake he got called names by some passer-by's as he was very protective of said lake.

Some college kids wanted to go swimming and waited for the man who lived alone to leave before sneaking into his grounds. The boy and girl had taken their shoes off and the girl was just unzipping her dress giving the boy a flirtatious smile when a voice made them jump.

"Hey!"

The boy and girl turned to see a blond haired man stood there in brown trousers leather knee high flat boots and a top that had a large blood stain on it. "Who are you?"

"This lake is on my land and you are not to go in it."

The boy frowned. "I thought you had black hair and when did you put on weight?"

"What? I have always had this colour hair and been this size now I won't tell you again get off my land!"

The boy and girl hurriedly put their shoes back on and ran away yelling 'weirdo' and 'freak'.

"And get some proper clothes on!" the blond shouted after them. "Your dress is that short you are practically naked!"

Merlin who was on his way home after getting some veg from one of his many gardens stumbled when a boy and girl ran past him. "What are you doing on my land? It's private property for the last time." Merlin yelled.

The boy stopped. "You? We were just told by someone near the lake it was their land, he looked as much of a freak as you." he said and took off to catch up with his girlfriend.

"Next time I catch you or anyone on my land I'm calling the police and pressing charges." Merlin shouted after them as he stormed down to the lake. "I'm so going to give this guy a piece of my mind. This is my land."

The blond by the lake looked down at his top and seeing the blood stain he lifted his top so high and saw a scar, walking over to where he came out of the lake he crouched down and picked his chainmail up, putting his finger through the small hole where he remembered where the sword pierced him. He lifted his head and looked around.

The scenery had changed a lot but he knew last time he was here he was in Merlin's arms with Merlin crying, if he has come back then what about Merlin? Gwen? He knew Merlin killed Morgana did she come back. Looking around him he knew that many years had passed, question was just how many had passed?

"Hey you. I don't know what your deal is but this is private land and if you don't leave now I'm going to have to press charges I'm tired of being Mr nice guy." Merlin yelled.

The blond man smiled at that voice. Merlin. He stood up leaving his armour and chainmail where it couldn't be seen and slowly turned around. "Mr nice guy Merlin? You will always be idiot to me."

Merlin froze where he stood and blinked. "You're not real, this is not real. Damn it I knew I shouldn't have had that extra drink before bed."

"Drink? Still go to the tavern do you? Haven't changed despite how many years have passed." he took his top off and chucked it at Merlin. "Clean that won't you? Only one I have at the moment, you could have least used your magic to send me off in clean clothes and not blood-stained ones. You still have your magic don't you?"

"I...You... This..." Merlin shook his head. "This is not real. I need to lie down." Merlin turned and started to walk to his home.

"Merlin this is me what do I have to do to convince you?" Arthur said as he walked after Merlin.

Merlin stopped. "How did we meet? They always get that wrong. I mean ..."

"We met when you put your foot on the target stopping my then servant to run with it while I threw daggers at it, called me friend. And who are they?"

"You're just saying that because you're inside my head. How many times did I save your life then? Answer that hmm." Merlin demanded.

"You saved my life too many times I know you stupidly traded your life for mine when I got bitten and if I am really inside your head then this wouldn't hurt would it." Arthur said lifting his hand up and smacking the back of Merlin's head.

"Oh god. You're real! But how? You're not needed." Merlin gasped. "The worlds going to pot and there is nothing you could do. Oh god this isn't happening." Merlin took off running to his cottage.

Arthur ran after him. "World going to pot? Merlin what is wrong with you. Of course I am needed, wouldn't be here if I wasn't now what is wrong with you? The spirits told me you needed me and sent me to you so what is wrong?"

Merlin turned in the doorway of his home. "They sent you to me? But I'm not in trouble or anything. Hell I don't even make trouble; you're the one that made the trouble I just had to clean it up."

"You are... was my servant it was your job. And I don't know all they told me was that you needed me and after all you have done for me I was more than happy to come back, wish I hadn't now after the treatment. And why do you let nearly naked women swim in the lake, my lake?"

"Treatment? Please forgive me for not believing that after more years than I wish to think the spirits have finally brought you back, but hey I could always kill you seeing as you don't want to be here. And I don't let naked women swim in _my_ lake. This is my land, my lake and if no one is going to respect the fact that I've done my part by law then I'm going to start using my magic to make sure they never step foot on _my land ever again!_" Merlin yelled as his eyes flashed gold making the sky fill with lighting.

Arthur looked up before looking at Merlin. "Okay okay Merlin calm down." he said as he hurried forwards placing his hands on Merlin's arms. "What happened Merlin why are you alone and why do those people think you are a freak and weirdo? Whatever that means and they might as well have been naked. I don't know what that girl was wearing but it showed all her legs and nearly her arse cheeks."

"They have no respect these days; no one cares about the law. Nothing happened Arthur; I've been alone since you past away. And it's called a dress Arthur, trust me you're in for a shock." Merlin replied walking into his home. "I'll make us a cup of tea."

"Dress? That isn't a dress I had wider belts." Arthur said as he followed Merlin. "And what is a cup of tea?"

"A mix of hot water, milk, sugar and a special kind of tree leaf." Merlin answered as he put the kettle on.

"Milk? Sugar? All I know is water wine and mead." Arthur said as he leaned forwards and placed his hand on the kettle swearing and jumping back. "That's hot!"

"Don't touch it, give me your hand." Merlin sighed.

Arthur did as Merlin said and continued to look around. "This is your home? My chambers were bigger than this. What year are we in?"

Merlin rolled his eyes as he moved Arthur's hand under the cold tap, letting the water run over his hand. "Just turned 2015, and yes this is my home, no one lives in castles anymore unless you're the royal family."

"I am royal family I am King. That means it is fifteen hundred years into the future."

"No Arthur, you're not the king, not anymore. You and I we're just fairy tales now, legends nothing else." Merlin informed him. "No one even believes in Magic or Albion or sadly the Great late King Arthur of Camelot."

"No one believes in me... You still do don't you Merlin?"

"Of course Arthur, I've always believed in you even when it looked like there was no point, I still believed in you." Merlin moved Arthur's hand away from the water and turned off the tap before patting Arthur's hand dry. "You were lucky, next time don't touch the kettle or the pans. Okay?"

"Okay." Arthur looked around and stopped when he saw a large flat box with a glass window tapping the button at the bottom, he jumped back when a noise sounded and he gasped when he saw people talking behind the glass, he looked behind it to see nothing. "Merlin! Merlin quickly! Use your magic there are people trapped in this glass thing!" he placed his hands on the glass. "Don't worry I have a friend he will get you all out."

"I see you found my TV. They're not trapped in there Arthur, it's a show. People get paid to act out a bunch of scenes and then it gets put on TV." Merlin answered.

"Acting? Like what you did whenever you said you weren't at a tavern?"

"That wasn't acting, that was me solving yet another one of your messes that needed a little help from magic so you couldn't know about it. There called actors Arthur they get paid a lot of money to pretend to be people they're not. They get to be whoever they are paid to play whether it's a superhero or the bad guy."

"I could do something like that. Now then will you please tell me what it is that is wrong with you and why you need help I was told you were lonely and have no one and need help." he looked Merlin up and down. "When did you come back to life?"

"You couldn't do something like that Arthur, you would want to change you lines and be a prat, plus you would have nothing to tell them that you know what you're doing." Merlin answered as he started to make the tea.

"I could learn it all, you can teach me everything! So when did you come back to life?"

"I don't think I could teach you how to be an actor Arthur." Merlin placed the tea bag in each of the cups and moved to get a spoon so that he could add the sugar.

"You are avoiding the question Merlin." Arthur walked over to Merlin, looking at him closely. "You never died did you. You haven't come back to life as you have never died you have wandered and been alone for fifteen hundred years."

Merlin just continued to make their drinks, he didn't want to think of everything he had seen, everything he had lived through.

"Merlin please."

"You might not like the tea with sugar some people like it with just milk but I find the sugar makes it taste lovely. I think I have pictures around here somewhere that will sure blow your mind." Merlin laughed and moved to the fridge to get the milk and added some to the cups as he finished making the tea before looking in the cupboards.

"Merlin will you please just give me a straight answer!"

"Here you go. And look I found biscuits. These one have chocolate on them." Merlin said handing Arthur a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits.

Arthur lost all patience and slammed the tea down making it spill and burn all of his hand throwing the plate of biscuits on the floor. "You start talking right now and stop avoiding the subject or I will start destroying everything I see, I don't care what it is."

"No matter how many years have passed you're still a selfish prat." Merlin yelled as he started to clean up the mess.

Arthur bent over and pulled Merlin to his feet holding so he couldn't escape. "If me caring for you and wanting to know everything about you since we last met is selfish then selfish I am I don't bloody care Merlin! Tell me. I am not letting you go until you tell me everything use your magic fight all you like I really don't care."

Merlin growled and sent Arthur flying onto the coach. "You wanna know fine. I didn't die. I had to watch everyone I loved die, had to watch Camelot get turned into a bedtime story, and watched as people stopped believing in magic, in Albion, in me, in you. I've seen far more death than I could recall. No cares anymore, everyone is in it for themselves. You wanna know why I live here because it reminds me of a time when people cared, when they believed in everything, and more importantly I don't have to listen to their self-centred judgment thoughts." Merlin yelled.

Arthur stood staring at Merlin as his breathing slowly calmed down. "Um, I don't want this to come out as though I only care about myself as I don't I was brought back for you and will be here for you, it's just... I burnt my hand on my tea you made when I got angry."

Merlin sighed and walked over to Arthur. "Let me see." Merlin held out his hand for Arthur.

Arthur held his hand out and sighed happily when he felt Merlin's touch, he watched Merlin closely as he helped him with his hand. "You look so different Merlin, you look as young as you always have but as though you have too much knowledge for someone so young. What about your love life?"

Merlin laughed without humour. "What love life. Your hand's going to be okay, just be careful next time, you could have ended up with a blister."

"Don't tell me you have gone all these years without sex. You must have had some women."

Merlin rolled his eyes and grabbed his own cup before going to sit down. "As the years went on many woman started to care more about the money a man earns than anything else, most took one look at me and thought nothing more than 'a Poor farm boy'. There was a chance once many years ago for love, happiness but war came and sadly that person was lost to me forever. Wasn't like anything could have come of it anyway, it's better to alone then a secret and heartbroken."

"Who was she?" Arthur pointed his finger at Merlin. "And don't go lying or avoiding it I know you and you know I won't drop it until you tell me."

"It was a he Arthur, he...Thomas went off to fight in the war and sadly he was one of the many that lost these lives. But even if he had lived nothing would have come of it. They wouldn't have taken lightly that one of their men was enjoying the company of another man. There's been no one else since it's better that way after all I'm going to outlive him anyway." Merlin sighed into his cup. "You know what would be perfect is if I could meet someone, that won't die or that I could share my immortal with, someone that would always know me, someone I never have to hide from. Then again that's not going to happen unless Vampires are real but I know for a fact there not, sadly."

"I know about you, I know everything and I am not going anywhere. Didn't I tell you? Spirits told me I could come back and help you but if I do then I could never go back, I didn't know you were immortal but I chose to become immortal and live for always if it meant looking out for you and helping you as I see it as that is the only way I can help and repay you for all what you did for me when I was King. Now I am here that is it. This is it for me Merlin. Like you I can not die."

Merlin blinked a few times before looking up at Arthur. "Arthur." He whispered.

"Yes?"

"I'm still going to have to be the one looking out for you." Merlin smiled. "But I'm telling you now there is no way I'm cleaning up after you."

"Come on that was in the past and you don't have to look out for me, yes you did back then as I had enemies but they have all gone now like you said I am just a myth to everyone I can start a new life, with you, helping you, annoying you as well." he said nudging Merlin smiling when he saw Merlin smile. He threw his arm over his shoulders. "Let's be miserable and lonely together."

"Arthur you thought people were trapped in my TV. You still need me to look out for you." Merlin replied. "Couldn't we just get rid of 'Miserable and lonely' and just be together."

"Together it is. Mates. And with the TV thingy I will learn, just like you had to. I am very clever you see so I will understand it all better than you."

Merlin shook his head together and sighed. "Okay."

"Now then do you have a library? If not do you know where one is?" Arthur said clapping his hands and rubbing them together.

"I'm so not letting you out of this house, I do have a library, I've managed to collect many books over the years." Merlin informed him. "But first have your tea." Merlin waved his hand over the now cold cup warming it.

Arthur took a sip and pulled a face. "What is this? I don't like this, it tastes bitter."

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Just drink it."

"I am not drinking it. I never made you do anything you didn't want to do."

"You never made me anything for me to not want it. But fine don't drink it." Merlin replied.

"Sorry Merlin, is there anything you can add to this to make it not so bitter?"

"Sure, maybe you're one of those people that like two spoons of sugar not one." Merlin said taking Arthur's cup and added another spoon of sugar before handing it back to Arthur. "How about now?"

Arthur took a sip. "That's better. Thank you. Where is this library then?"

"Follow me." Merlin lead Arthur thought his home and down into the basement where he kept all his books on everything. "You can have a look at any of them expect for the ones in the cabinet." Merlin said pointing to a locked glass cabinet. "And don't think you can get into it. Only my magic can open it." Merlin chuckled to himself. "Maybe one day your let me teach you some magic, man would Uther be pissed."

"Okay that has me even more curious what is in that cabinet?"

"It's private Arthur. That's all you need to know." Merlin answered as he moved to got back upstairs. "It's getting late I'm going to start making dinner."

As soon as Merlin was out of sight Arthur hurried over to the cabinet and taking hold of the handles he started to shake it and see if it would open only for him to jump back when a red light started flashing and a loud noise started to go off. He placed his hands on the glass. "Shush. How do I get you to shut up?" he said looking all over the cabinet.

"Arthur? What's going on down there?" Merlin yelled from the top of the stairs.

"Nothing whatsoever no need to come down all well everything good!" Arthur said hurriedly hoping Merlin would believe him.

"Okay, well I just put our dinner in the oven so it will be ready soon." Merlin replied raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah yeah fine no worries just let me know if you need any firewood." he called up the stairs while hitting the cabinet. "Quiet please."

"Umm are you sure everything is okay down there?" Merlin said moving closer to the stairs.

"Yes yes all fine just keep an eye on that oven thingy and let me know if you need any wood for it." he said hurriedly.

"Arthur the oven doesn't need wood." Merlin moved closer till he was on the first step. "Arthur what is that noise?"

"Nothing at all you just carry on up there!"

"Arthur I'm coming down." Merlin warned as he started to go down the steps.

"Shit!" Arthur said and stood in front of the cabinet his arms and legs spread out hoping his body would cover the flashing light.

Merlin sighed when he reached the bottom of the stairs. "Arthur why don't you come upstairs with me, where I can keep an eye on you." Merlin waved his hand and the light stopped flashing, shaking his head Merlin looked at Arthur. "Now."

"I am fine. I want to read and learn and see what has been happening since I died."

"It wasn't a suggestion Arthur." Merlin said firmly.

"That tone is new on you. I will be fine down here Merlin." Arthur said crossing his arms making himself look very much like the King Merlin knew him for.

"Be that as it may, it's time to go upstairs." Merlin replied copying Arthur and crossing his arms. "Dinner should be ready to plate up."

"Then you plate it up and I will be up soon." Arthur said giving Merlin a cheeky grin that had always told Merlin to make him as he wasn't budging.

"You wanna go there after I told you not to touch my cabinet?" Merlin asked raising an eyebrow. "I'm not the same Merlin that let you walk all over him."

Arthur smirked and walked over to Merlin. "Who is this Merlin I am looking at then? What would you do if I didn't come up there?" Arthur said now whispering as he got into Merlin's personal space. "What will you do to get me up ther-" Arthur looked down before looking back up. "You're hard."

"Stay, do what you like just stay away from the cabinet." Merlin said rushing back up the stairs embarrassed.

Arthur stood there panting. Merlin was hard, hard because of how close he had gotten to him, he looked over his shoulder at the cabinet. "I will find out what is in you." he said before slowly walking up the stairs.

Arthur walked into the kitchen and took the food from Merlin and started to fill their plates up. "I'm sorry, I did not mean to embarrass you Merlin, please believe me when I say that was not my intention." he said as he placed a plate in front of Merlin and instead of sitting opposite the brunet at the table he sat next to him.

"No. It's okay. Let's just eat; I still need to find you somewhere to sleep." Merlin replied.

"Where do you sleep?"

"I sleep in my bed which is in my room. I've got a spare room so I can get that ready for you." Merlin answered as he started to eat his dinner.

"Is the bed in the spare room a small one?"

"It's made for one person." Merlin replied getting up to get himself a beer and grabbing one for Arthur as well. "Here you go, try this."

Arthur took a sip and shuddered before taking another. "Nice. But I need a double bed. I will just share with you."

Blinking Merlin looked at Arthur. "Umm why? You don't need a double bed."

"Back then when did you ever see me sleep in a small bed built for one, I like the room and I know you don't move about in your sleep, I remember that from our hunting days when we had to sleep side by side for warmth, like a bony teddy bear Merlin, you were."

Merlin sighed. "Arthur, you're not King anymore and you need to start acting like it. No you can't share my bed." Merlin had hoped the reason for Arthur saying something so out of the blue would have been better than what he got.

Arthur looked closely at Merlin before nodding. "Alright I won't nick your bed." he said and continued to eat, taking a drink of his beer in between.

"I'll have to use some magic and make sure that you have everything you would need in this time so that if you wanted to get a job you would be able to do so." Merlin told him as he finished off his dinner and sat back to drink his beer.

"Thank you, clothes will be a start still wearing the clothes I died in."

"I'll have to pop into Town tomorrow and get you something to wear." Merlin smiled and stood up. "I'm going to go for a shower so why don't you wash up the dishes."

Arthur looked at the dishes and then the sink, he frowned, how was he supposed to do the dishes. "Merlin what is shower?"

"You're not getting out of doing the dishes; I cooked so you wash up." Merlin informed him as he started to walk towards the bathroom.

"I know that I will wash them I just don't know what a shower is."

"It's kinda like a bath but you stand up, like when you used to wash under a waterfall." Merlin answered. "Oh and don't forget to use the soap." He said as he disappeared.

"I won't, leave the shower thing running please I will go after you." Arthur picked up the plates and put them in a bag he found along with the rest of the dishes he saw that needed to be washed. Once done he picked up a cloth that looked damp and wiped everything down and smiled once done.

Merlin sighed once he stepped into the shower. "God it's been a long day." he muttered to himself as he started to wash, once he was all clean Merlin dried himself off before walking to his bedroom grateful that the bathroom as his room had a connecting door, once dressed in his PJ's Merlin exited his room. "Showers ready Arthur, It's the third door to your left, I'm just going to get your room ready for you."

"Okay thank you." Arthur walked into the bathroom and knelt in the shower emptying the bag and shaking his head, "there has to be a dryer way in washing dishes," he said as he picked up a bottle on the shelf. "Lynx?" opening the cap he smelt it. "Smells like soap." he shrugged and poured that on dishes and began to wash, placing ones that were clean on the towel he placed on the floor outside of the shower.

It didn't take Merlin long to finish getting Arthur's room ready for him, so when he had finished Merlin walked back into the kitchen ready to make himself and Arthur a nice cup of hot cocoa when he noticed that there wasn't any dishes drying by the sink, quickly Merlin rushed back into the bathroom. "Arthur what are you doing? You're going to make yourself sick."

"By washing dishes?" Arthur called through the door. "There has to be an easier way than this Merlin, you can come in if you like. I am decent."

"Oh Arthur, tomorrow I'm showing you how to use the sink, now get up." Merlin grabbed a nearby towel.

"Thank you. Your soap smells funny." he said as he took off his soaking clothes, not bothered that he was naked in front of Merlin as he had done it so many times before.

Merlin quickly turned around so not to see Arthur naked. "That's because it's body wash, it's not meant for dishes. Let me get you something to wear, I'm sure I've got something that I can make fit you." Merlin said once again going out the door connected to his room and coming back with a pair of PJ's.

Instead of taking the pyjamas off Merlin he picked up a towel and dried himself before taking the bottoms off Merlin and putting them on, "Oh I like these, nice and cool, forget the top never used to sleep in one."

"Umm sure. I'm just going to go and make us a hot drink. Don't worry about the dishes I'll fix that." Merlin replied as he walked out of the room.

"Sorry I didn't know!" Arthur called after him.

"It's really okay Arthur." Merlin smiled as he grabbed two cups and started to make them their hot cocoa.

Arthur walked into the kitchen and stood in front of Merlin, unaware that Merlin was staring at his chest. "What's that brown stuff?" he asked.

"It's called Cocoa and when mixed with warm milk you get hot chocolate." Merlin answered.

"Why would you want chocolate hot? It melts."

"Many people use melted chocolate for baking but this has nothing to do with real chocolate and all to do with the cocoa powder that we use to make chocolate." Merlin informed him as he added the hot milk.

"Okay I need books to know all of this stuff," he said and walked away, coming back minutes later with books in his arms that he carried into the room he was to sleep in, coming back out with a big book which Merlin saw was the dictionary. "This has all kinds of words and explanations."

"It should it's called a dictionary. You don't want to start reading now Arthur it's almost time for bed." Merlin said as he placed two cups onto the table and sat down.

"It's okay I am not tired I have been resting for fifteen hundred years." he said as he took a drink and made a moaning noise, oblivious to the effects he had on Merlin. "Oh I love this, now this I can drink again and again."

"I umm thought you might like it, next time I'll add marshmallows or maybe some cinnamon." Merlin smiled and leaned forwards into the table.

Arthur sat up in bed put the dictionary down and rubbed his eyes. He looked at the silver plastic box next to his bed that had red numbers on it. Merlin had gone to bed ages ago, he looked down at his own bed, he couldn't sleep in this, if he turned over he would fall out. Getting up he walked out of his room and went in search for Merlin, quickly finding him he walked into Merlin's room.

He stood at the side of the bed for a few minutes to just watch Merlin sleep, he couldn't stop the smile that came to his face, as gently as he could he pulled the covers back and got in covering them both up it wasn't long before he was asleep.

When Merlin woke up he found himself wrapped in the arms of his King, for just a moment Merlin allowed his mind to wander and dream of what it would be like to have Arthur in love with him but all too soon, Merlin forced himself to stop and get out of bed without waking Arthur Merlin made himself a cup of coffee and headed down stairs to the basement so that he could update his dairy and let out the feeling growing inside him.

Arthur woke when he turned and felt the space next to him empty, sitting up he looked around to see he was alone, after standing and stretching he went back to his room and picked up the dictionary, his first night sleep was filled with dreams of the old days when he was King, searching through the dictionary he couldn't believe it when he found the word he was looking for. "Merlin!" Arthur shouted as he hurried down the stairs, book in hand. "Merlin!"

Merlin quickly slammed his diary shout and transported it back to the cabinet where it belonged just in time for Arthur to raise the bottom step. "What are you yelling about?"

"This!" Arthur said once he saw Merlin run up from the basement. He lifted the book to show Merlin. "Look what I found. 'Prat: meaning incompetent or ineffectual person, often used as term of abuse' you abused me on a daily basis! And I had a look in here there is no such word as dollop head or cabbage head either."

Merlin laughed as he got up from his seat. "You just had to look for them didn't you." Merlin shook his head and smiled. "I'm going to make some breakfast would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Yes. Your prat wants one." Arthur nodded.

Merlin smiled and started walking back up the stairs. "If only that was true." He whispered.

"Of course it is, always been yours." Arthur frowned and looked at the dictionary to see what it could mean. He frowned even more confused, he told Merlin he was his, and he was, his friend, looking through the book though the meaning also meant as in lovers, he would have to watch Merlin more closely, he knew Merlin liked men, but was he one of them? Was he what Merlin looked for?

Arthur walked down to the basement and started to look through the books, "now where would I find love, signs to look for." finding a book that would help. Arthur started to read. "How to know if someone likes you that way." he murmured to himself.

"Arthur, Breakfast is ready, I also made you some coffee." Merlin called down.

Arthur taking the book with him continued to read, not looking where he was going as he walked up the stairs, not lifting his foot high enough on the last step Arthur fell up them and landed on his front, his book flying out of his hands landing by Merlin's feet.

"Are you okay Arthur?" Merlin asked picking up the book.

"Didn't lift my foot high enough." he explained, getting up and taking the book from Merlin. "Thank you."

"Umm interesting book? Is there a reason you chose it?" Merlin wondered as they walked into the kitchen and Merlin placed a plate and a cup in front of Arthur's chair before sitting down and starting to eat his breakfast.

"No reason, knew I had to read something and start learning so just reached out and grabbed the first book." Arthur said and sat down next to Merlin, thanking him before putting the book aside, "I read it is considered rude and bad habits to read while eating at table with others." he explained further at Merlin's look.

Merlin smiled. "Normal people use meal time to talk mainly because it's the only time they can. But you and I aren't normal and I really don't mind if you want to read your book." Merlin said picking up his cup.

"Thank you." Arthur smiled and picked the book up once more. "It says here you know if someone likes you more than a friend, fancies you if they blush or stutter when they see you in a state of undress is that right? Do people do that?"

"It's been known to happen." Merlin replied picking up his fork and stabbing it into his eggs.

"You did it yesterday when you saw me naked. Do you like me like that Merlin?"

"What? ... Arthur you and I are just friends, you said it yourself" Merlin choked.

"Me and Gwen were just friends and look what happened there, things change Merlin, are you telling me you are not affected and won't blush or stutter if I do this." and with that Arthur took off his top leaving him topless.

"... Eat your breakfast." Merlin replied looking away.

"You are not looking at me Merlin, at my chest, look at my chest, my muscles, look."

"Arthur put your top back on please." Merlin sighed as he finished off his breakfast.

"I will, just as soon as you look at me. Please Merlin."

Merlin looked up at Arthur before looking back down at Arthur's plate. "There now eat your food, no one likes cold eggs."

"You like me like that don't you Merlin." Arthur thought before speaking once more. "Merlin, this Thomas, what did he look like?"

"I don't wish to talk about him." Merlin said.

"You don't have to Merlin, all I ask is what he looked like and you need never mention him again nor will I."

Merlin sighed and looked into his coffee. "Green eyes, brown hair and had a funny way of making me laugh." Merlin lied. "I need to go into town and get you a few bits so why don't you stay here and read some more, just please Arthur I mean it stay away from my cabinet." Merlin said as he stood up and walked off to his room to get dressed.

"Oh Merlin you forget how well I know you, especially when lying." Arthur said and continued to eat.

Soon Merlin was back and dressed. "Now just stay inside please." Merlin said as he moved to the front door and grabbed his keys.

Arthur got up and walked Merlin to the door, opening it he hugged Merlin and kissed his lips, looking into the brunets eyes, not letting him look away. "Be careful and see you soon."

"I..." Merlin quickly stepped out of the house and almost ran for his car.

Arthur smiled. "Oh yes he likes me." he said.

Arthur looked around and decided to clean up and wash the dishes how he saw Merlin do it and make sure everything was put away. After he had finished all of that went back to the basement and started to look around, opening a small door Arthur saw another small room where at the end a long thin wooden box was on the wall, engraved into the wood were the words 'My loves weapon' Arthur slowly walked towards it and hesitantly touched it, when no alarms or flashing lights started he put his hands on the handle. "This must be Thomas' weapon." he said.

He opened the small doors on the wooden box and was shocked at what he saw. "Excalibur!" he exclaimed as he lifted the sword and took it from the box, leaving the small corridor he went back into the library and took a few swings with his well-known sword, smiling when he saw he hadn't lost his touch. Swinging the sword he didn't know how close he got to Merlin's cabinet until a flash was made and a loud bang. "Merlin's magic." Arthur gasped when the glass doors to the cabinet opened on their own.

Arthur placed his sword down and walking up to the cabinet he picked up the book that said 'Thomas' on the front, he flicked through a few pages and started to read.

_'1914_

_I saw him again today in the squad. I was so nervous about going up and talking to him, I thought for just a moment that if he saw me, he might remember me and I wouldn't have to be lone anymore but as he looked into my eyes all I saw was wonder and even though it broke my heart I still had to be in his life. My sweet Thomas I wish I could tell you everything I knew.'_

Arthur hearing a noise outside placed the book back and closing the cabinet he was surprised to see it lock itself with Merlin's magic once more, he ran and put his sword back and had just made it up the stairs and seated himself at the kitchen table when Merlin walked through the door.

"You're still at the table? Haven't you moved since I left?" Merlin asked as he placed his bags into the table.

"Of course I have. Look around you, I have cleaned up washed the breakfast dishes and put them away. After finishing I went and got a book and came back up here to read."

Merlin smiled. "Thank you Arthur."

Merlin started to put his food shopping away before turning to face Arthur once again. "I got you some clothes and underwear, bath stuff so you're all covered I also found this for you." Merlin rummaged through the bags till on the table before pulling out a small 'Waterstones' bag and handing it to Arthur.

Arthur took the bag. "You got me stones?" he asked looking at the logo on the bag. "There are loads of them outside Merlin."

Merlin laughed. "That's the book stores name. Open the bag."

"Oh right." Arthur laughed and pulled out a book, turning it over he read the cover. "Arthur and the round table." he said before looking up at Merlin. "I thought you said our past life was just a myth now."

"It is, people have written many books about you and your Knights, that's just one of them, I thought you might like to know what the world thinks of you know." Merlin said smiling as he pushed the other bags towards Arthur. "Why don't you put them in your room, I've got a surprise for you it's called KFC."

Arthur only hummed in response, his head already buried in his new book, laughing at some things. "These people do have some things wrong don't they. I mean it says in here about you once I learned of your magic I ordered you to leave Camelot and you only came back when I needed you. I would never do that, I mean yeah sure I was mad at you when I found out as you kept something from me that you shouldn't have done but I would never make you leave your home."

"You love Gwen and yet you made her leave her home when Morgana placed her under a spell and brought back Lancelot. They were innocent and yet they were punished." Merlin said as he pulled out a brown paper bag.

"Gwen was different Merlin." Arthur said as he stopped reading to look at Merlin closely.

"How was she different? You loved her." Merlin said as he emptied the bag and placed their food on the table.

"She wasn't you Merlin. Yes I loved her, was in love with her, it was only because she was my Queen that I gave her my signet ring to rule over Camelot." Arthur said before sitting back down with his head in the book.

"Let's eat, the foods getting cold. And you might not like how Gwen is portrayed in the book." Merlin replied as he picked up a chip.

"Oh?" he asked and went to the front of the book to look at the index, finding Gwen he went straight to the page and started to read, his hand going out every now and then to grab at some food, half the time Merlin had to place it in his hand. "Oh chicken." he said when he took a bite of something.

When he finished reading he looked up at Merlin. "She had an affair with Lancelot she was set to die but couldn't see it happen so Lancelot saved her and they rode off together never to be seen again?"

"And you let Mordred kill you because of a broken heart." Merlin rolled his eyes.

"I just gave up as the 'love of my life' was gone and I just didn't want to know anymore? Merlin? You went back to Camelot didn't you after sending me off?"

"I had to inform Camelot of your passing but I didn't stay." Merlin answered.

"But Camelot was your home. Why didn't you stay?"

"I just couldn't." Merlin replied.

"Not the same is it. When you went missing. One of the reasons I went looking for you is because I hated it without you, you know I had the perfect servant replace you, woke me up at right time with a proper breakfast did everything right and I hated it, wasn't the same, I didn't want it, wanted you so went for you, was determined to come back with you."

Merlin smiled. "That's because I kept you from getting to pig headed."

"I pay you a compliment and that is the answer I get, an insult. Now make me one of those chocolate things."

Merlin shook his head. "Why don't you watch me this time and next time you can make it yourself." Merlin said as he clean the table and got out the cocoa powder from the cupboard and added a few spoonful's to a cup before getting out the milk, once everything was in the mug Merlin placed into the microwave and set the time for 2 mins. "Never put metal in here Arthur." Merlin warned.

"Right." Arthur nodded. "I will still let you do it though."

Merlin smiled. "Well here you go; I need to find my spell book so that I can make you a real boy."

"Real boy? I'm a man." Arthur said and stood up, taking his top off and flexing his muscles at Merlin. "See, feel how hard I am." Arthur's eyes widened when he saw Merlin blush. "Arms! I meant how hard my arms are! Sorry!"

Merlin blinked his mind having gone totally blank. "Ummmm ... I just meant how you don't, you know, exist out there."

"Okay, if you can I want to keep my full name, Arthur Pendragon, remember that, Pendragon, not Pratdragon which I have heard you call me."

"I'll try Arthur but I can't promise anything. I'll be in my room if you need me." Merlin smiled and walked towards his room.

"Thank you." Arthur called out, as soon as Merlin was out of sight Arthur rushed down to the basement and taking his sword he opened the cabinet and picked up the book and began to read the next entry.

_'1914_

_War has come once again. There always seems to be a war of some kind, this one will go down in history I'm sure of it._

_Things have gotten better with Thomas in my life, we have become friends and with his company I don't feel alone, feel abandoned by the ones I loved so much. But I fear it won't last._

_Thomas is talking about signing up joining the war, my dear sweet Thomas still acting like the great King I knew him to be, still wanting to fight for the greater good. But even as I push myself to grow closer to him, to know every part of him, I know soon I will be alone again, soon I will lose him again and there is never I can do. To do so powerful and yet so powerless to stop the hands of fate. If I am to lose Thomas again then I'm going to make my feelings known, I don't want him to die not knowing, not again.'_

Arthur froze. Thomas was him, Merlin loved him, still does, has been lonely without him, but with the date it was just over one hundred years ago, had he been back before but died? Putting the diary back he picked out the most recent one and started to read the entry that was dated the day Arthur came back.

_'2015_

_I've gone mad; have the years have finally driven me mad? I dreamed of him again last night, about what our life could have been like only to wake and find him alive. It's can't be real, maybe it's a trick another cruel trick the spirits wish to play on me...Like Thomas, my dear Thomas. I've accepted that I am to be alone forever that I am not meant for love, to share a life with the man I love, I learned that a long time ago so why have they brought him back only to tease me more. I can't allow myself to grow close to him not this time, I won't go through the pain of losing him again or I might just try and find a way to end my existence once and for all. I've given Albion, the world so much of me why can't I just keep this little part of me.'_

Arthur struggled to read the last few words as the ink was smudged, no doubt Merlin had been crying when he wrote this. Placing the book back and locking the cabinet with his sword he placed his sword back and walked upstairs, he needed to ask Merlin something.

Arthur closed the door to the basement and walked up the stairs and knocked on Merlin's bedroom door and waited for an answer before entering.

"You can come in Arthur."

Arthur walked in. "Merlin with your magic, can you talk to the spirits? I am guessing that lake out there is the one you sent me off in."

"I can, I used to summon Gaius' spirit back in the old days just so we could talk. Why do you ask?" Merlin wondered looking up from his book of shadows.

"I need to talk to the spirits that sent me back and I need to talk to them now."

"Umm okay I guess. Follow me then." Merlin replied confused as he walked out of his room and headed for the front door.

Once they were standing by the lake Merlin checked to make sure no one was around before closing his eyes. "I call upon the spirits of old to show themselves to me"

Arthur stood to the side and gasped when a spirit rose from the lake; it was the same spirit that sent Arthur back.

"Why have you called me here?"

Arthur bowed. "First thing I want to do is thank you for bringing me back. I have some questions if that is alright?"

The spirit made a gesture with its hand to go on.

"First question I must ask is, am I back for good this time? Am I immortal like Merlin now? I know spirits can not lie, please I need to know."

The spirit nodded. "We saw it fit to make you immortal for all the good you have done."

"Another question I must ask. Why did you keep bringing me back as people for Merlin to fall in love with only to be heartbroken when I die, how many times have you brought me back to life and left Merlin heartbroken because of it, last time you brought me back I was Thomas who died in the war which nearly killed him, he has even had thoughts about trying to stop his own existence. What has Merlin done to you to have you put him through this time and time again?"

"Arthur what are you talking about?" Merlin asked shocked.

"You have only been brought back once in order to help Emrys remember his duty." The spirit answered.

"Wrong, I was brought back before. I was Thomas I fought in a war in 1914 I died in it." Arthur turned to Merlin. "Use your magic on me Merlin, use a spell that would help someone remember a memory they thought was forever lost."

Merlin had tears starting to form in his eyes as he looked over at the spirit who nodded its head towards him.

_"Lock in, boxed in,_

_A key I wish to find,_

_Set free what was lost in time and space,_

_bring back the memories long gone."_

Merlin's eyes glowed gold as the spell wrapped itself around Arthur.

Arthur gasped and dropped to his knees as he started to remember, he raised his hand and took hold of Merlin's who has hurried over to him when he dropped, standing up on shaky legs he looked into Merlin's eyes and cupped his face. "Last words I said to you back in 1914 where 'I will be fine, I have fought and won many wars and come back alive, I promise you with my heart and soul I will return to you.' I just hated that I did return in a coffin for you to send me out into the lake once more."

Merlin couldn't stop the tears that fell from his eyes nor could he stop himself as he turned and ran back to the safety of his home.

Arthur turned to the spirit. "Why? Why did you keep bringing me back only to die, what is so different this time for you to make me immortal? Please I need to know."

"You were meant to be with Emrys from the start, had you joined spirits with him Mordred would never have been able to kill you. You changed destiny, you chose another. We brought you back as Thomas so that you could right you're wrong but your warrior spirit had to fight." The spirit answered.

"My spirit that thinks with my head and not my heart had me marrying Gwen my warrior spirit had me fighting when I shouldn't have been, now you know I will be thinking with my heart and knowing it is Merlin I want to be with you have made me immortal, that was why you asked me that before returning didn't you, If I were to return and help Merlin if he dies I never could, my answer was that I didn't care as long as Merlin was safe. That was a test wasn't it? And I passed it that is why you have now made me immortal. Because I answered with my heart and chose Merlin."

"We had hoped you would. Emrys was fading and without him the world will be no more. He keeps the earth in balance." The spirit replied.

"I will keep him safe and happy, on that you have my word." Arthur looked back at the cottage before looking at the spirit. "Do you need me to get Merlin out here for him to take you back?" he asked.

The spirit just laughed as it faded into the air leaving only the sound of its laugher to echo through the wind.

Once he was alone Arthur stared at the lake for a few seconds before running back into the cottage. He knew where Merlin would be, he ran up the starts and didn't bother knocking this time, he went into Merlin's room and found him on his bed in a ball crying, walking over he sat on the bed and pulled Merlin to him. "Merlin love."

"Don't" Merlin sobbed hiding his face in his pillow.

"Don't what my love?"

"Don't call me that. You have no right." Merlin cried.

"Merlin I have every right, you have gave me back my memories I married Gwen as same sex was forbidden back when I was King, I should have followed my heart Merlin I'm sorry. The spirits brought me back now as they believed I was ready and I wouldn't leave you again and I won't, never again. You have had my heart from the moment you set foot in Camelot, I can only apologise for being such a coward and not following my heart when I was King."

Merlin shook his head but stayed quiet.

"Merlin please talk to me."

"I just need time to get my head round all this." Merlin whispered.

Arthur stood up. "I will leave you alone then my love. Thank you for returning my memories to me, least all I have to read up on now is electricity like kettles and microwaves and such." he said as he left the room. He stopped at the door. "I am sorry to read your diaries Merlin but I had to know." he whispered and left Merlin alone with his thoughts.

Walking down to the basement Arthur, using his sword opened the cabinet once more and took out the book that was labelled 'Thomas' and began to read.

_'1916_

_I felt it the moment Thomas passed over to the other side; I remember waking up in the dead of night feeling half my soul being ripped from my body. I spent the next day and half waiting for his letter, waiting for some sign that I was wrong, that I was just scared but I knew he was lost to me once again._

_While in town I overheard two elderly ladies talking about Thomas' mother, how she was in a state and had taken to drinking where his father had turned to his mistress to mourn his loss. No one cared that I had lost him as well. His family wouldn't allow me to come to the funeral so I had to say my goodbyes and my regrets from afar._

_The day after his funeral an army officer came to my door with a letter for me and informed me it would be best if I left town, I already planned on moving but it hurt so much more being told to, it was like I was being banished. I knew the letter was from Thomas, but I couldn't bring myself to read his last words to me because if I did I fear what I might become. All that is left of me is hope that one day he will come back to me and the spirits will allow me to keep him.'_

Arthur put the book back and for the first time saw the letter, the last letter he sent out to Merlin, turning it over he saw it unopened, he turned it back over and seeing Merlin's name and address Arthur had a flashback he was down in the barracks, bombs going off, guns also.

_Flashback._

_"Pendragon we need you, finish that later Stevens is down!" a man Arthur's age shouted._

_Arthur kissed the letter and quickly folded it, putting it in his pocket before firing his gun, giving his Captain cover as he got the wounded sergeant, as he gave fire he kept one eye on his Captain and only when he knew they were in the barracks safe did he feel it, he got shot and went down, his gun falling from his hands as he did, he made it back in agony with the help of his captain who came back for him._

_"Stay with me Pendragon."_

_"Merlin..."_

_"You will see him again Pendragon. I promise you that stay with me. You will be going back with Stevens."_

_"Merlin..."_

_Next thing Arthur knew he was in a hospital bed and it was dark, looking at the next bed he saw Stevens._

_"You are awake then."_

_Arthur turned to see a nurse stood there. "My pocket, a letter."_

_The nurse sighed and handed it to Arthur who took it and started to write, wanting to finish what he started in the barracks. "I need the man I love to get this, please promise me."_

_"Thomas..."_

_"Please nurse, if I don't make it." Arthur sealed the letter and kissed it before handing the smiling nurse the letter._

_End Flashback._

Arthur lifted his top and saw the scar where he got shot. Last thing he remembered was falling asleep once the nurse had left him. Keeping the letter in hand he used his sword to lock the cabinet and left the basement and carried on up the stairs until he reached Merlin's room to find Merlin in the same position he left him in. "I have something for you."

"Arthur I asked to be alone." Merlin said as he slowly turned to face the other man only to freeze when he noticed the letter in his hand.

"I would like you to read this please. I wrote half of this before getting shot, the other half when in hospital. I had just finished it and handed it to a nurse after kissing the seal, asking her to make sure you get it. I must have died not long after."

"I don't want to read that Arthur." Merlin whispered.

"You either read it or I read it for you. Either way you are going to know what is in this letter."

"Why are you doing this to me?" Merlin yelled as he snatched the letter from Arthur. "Haven't I gone through enough because of you?"

"Oh yes. I am sorry for fighting for my country I am sorry for dying for my country. Merlin please read it; I died in Camelot as my spirit that thinks with his head chose Gwen. I died as Thomas because my warrior spirit saw war and kicked in. Before I came back the spirits said you were in need of help but if I go back I would be immortal and could be alone if you die. I didn't know you were immortal at that time but I didn't care, I told them I didn't care if I have to live forever without you, as long as I could help you now that is all I wanted. I was just told by the lake that that was a test. I am now thinking with my heart, it is with thinking with my heart that has made me immortal, if I thought and went with my heart and chose you instead of Gwen I would never have died."

Merlin sighed as he closed his eyes. "I'm going to make myself a drink." Slowly Merlin climbed off the bed and moved towards the door.

Arthur blocked it, "you make one after, read it Merlin please, it will take only two minutes."

"I can't, I won't Arthur. Losing Thomas almost destroyed me and I won't open that box again." Merlin said firmly before turning round and heading for the door to the bathroom.

Arthur sighed and walked up to the door only to find it locked knowing Merlin was just on the other side. "Thomas was me Merlin you lost me but never will again. You know my strength Merlin; I will break this door down. I will count to three." Arthur cleared his throat. "One, two-"

"What happened to you giving me some time?" Merlin asked leaning against the closed door. "Why can't you let me deal with everything else first before reading a letter I never planned on reading?"

"Okay then I will read it; tear open the letter I sealed with a kiss Merlin. A kiss I haven't been able to give you in one hundred years. I just thought that when I finished this letter in the hospital bed that no one else was to read this, this letter was wrote to the one person I have always and only loved. I wrote it Merlin but I didn't write it only to read it to you one hundred years later! Open this door right now or I am kicking it in!" he yelled.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "I still have the letter you prat. But if it means that much to you then fine I'll read it." Slowly Merlin's body lowered itself to the ground and leaned back against the door leading to the hallway, as he sighed looking down at the letter in his hands.

"I know you still have it I meant I will read it if you pass it back, either way you are going to know what the last thing I wrote to you was." Arthur sighed as he closed his eyes and rested his forehead on the closed door, allowing a lone tear to run down his cheek.

"Why don't you go and make us a cup of tea and I'll be out once I've read it." Merlin replied breaking the seal of the letter.

"No you will read it now, out loud and you will read it with me there in the same room as you, please Merlin. Open the door." he said, his voice starting to break.

Merlin closed his eyes but he could feel his magic unlocking the door that connected to the bathroom from his bedroom.

Arthur hearing the lock click opened the door and looked at Merlin sat on the floor his back against the door opposite him, tears running down his face, not caring that Merlin who was looking up at him could see the same on his face.

"Why is this such a big deal to you?" Merlin whispered looking down at the paper in his hands.

"You need to read this, this is what you need, you left this unopened as you couldn't bare it as the pain was too much, you didn't want to read it alone." Arthur walked over to Merlin and knelt in front of the brunet. "Now you don't have to read it alone as you will never be alone again." he whispered as more tears spilled from his own eyes and ran down his cheeks.

Slowly and with a shaky hand Merlin wiped away Arthur's tears. "I thought you believed it weak to cry."

"The warrior in me and the big headed King did, the me that follows his heart believes it shows strength, not weakness, never weakness."

Merlin looked down at the paper once more. "What if... I don't...I'm scared Arthur." he whispered holding the paper tightly just carefully.

"I know, but I can promise you what is in that letter won't hurt you."

"Do I have to read it out loud? You know what it says already." Merlin asked.

"Yes."

Merlin took a deep breath to try and calm himself down before he opened the letter and started to read.

'My dearest love,

I know that we write to each other every week but yet I still miss you so much, your warmth, your love but some of all I miss your laugh and your smile. I go to sleep each night praying that I will see you again. That we will be together again.

I know our love is unheard of and many believe it to be a sin to love another man the way I love you but I don't care, I promise you this my dear Merlin that as soon as I come home to you, I will make you an honest man. I know that what we have must forever be a secret but only you and I will know the true meaning of the ring I wish to give you.

I Hope with all my heart that I can make it out of this so that I may take your hand and never let go.

Love you always,

Your Thomas xxxx'

"Merlin love?" Arthur asked. "Can I hug you please? I have waited over one hundred years to do so."

All Merlin could do was nod as his eyes filled with tears that fell like a river down his cheeks.

"Finally." Arthur breathed and pulled Merlin into the tightest hug he could, not caring that Merlin was wetting his neck with his tears as he knew his tears were wetting Merlin's neck just as much.

"After all these years, finally having you where you belong." Arthur whispered.

Merlin smiled, his eyes still filled with tears. "I've missed you so much you."

"And I you, does this mean I get to share your bed tonight and don't have to wait until you are asleep before sneaking in?"

"So you admit that you were just waiting to climb into bed with me because you didn't like your single bed." Merlin teased.

"I told you I don't do single beds and yet you still told me I was to sleep in it, even though you had a big bed all to yourself." Arthur said as he pulled his face away and kissed Merlin. "Let's get off this cold bathroom floor." he said and stood up, holding his hands out to Merlin.

"Well it makes a change from when you have the big bed all to yourself to keep you nice and warm." Merlin replied placing his hand in Arthur's.

Over the next week they had hardly left their bed as they felt they had a lot of making up to do, Arthur had left Merlin sleeping one afternoon to go out and see to the small garden where Merlin grew some vegetables and hid when he heard voices.

"Are you sure it will be safe?" a girl asked.

"Of course it is, that freak Merlin hasn't been out and seeing to his stupid gardens for a while, my guess is he has packed up and fucked off. Good riddance I say, he is weird. Look, make an excuse and meet me here with a few of your friends tomorrow at noon and I will bring some of my mates. It will be like a pool party except it is a lake instead of a pool."

"Okay." the girl said.

Arthur heard them kissing before the boy took the girls hand. "We will come back tomorrow."

Arthur stepped out from behind a tree and leaned against it with his arms folded and his feet crossed at the ankles, a smirk on his face as he watched them walk away. "See you then." he said.

"Talking to yourself?" Merlin asked walking over to Arthur.

"Not at all." Arthur smiled and turned around, "I thought I would leave you to sleep. How are you? Sore much?" he smirked, looking quite proud of himself.

"That's not something to be proud of." Merlin laughed. "Anyway I need to check on the land and the lake and everything else. I can't stop taking care of everything now that I'm with you."

"I know that. I have already checked some of the vegetables."

"Then I'll go and check the lake and everything else." Merlin smiled.

Arthur smiled as Merlin walked away with a limp before heading into the house and straight to the basement, he looked at all the books and seeing 'horror' he started to pick up different books and started looking at the pictures the book held.

When Merlin returned he found the house far too quiet and smiled as he walked into the kitchen and started to make up two cups of Hot cocoa and placing a few marshmallows onto a plate just in case Arthur didn't want them in his drink before taking the tray down into the basement where he knew he would find Arthur.

"I come bearing hot cocoa." Merlin smiled.

Arthur looked up from seven different books, all out and opened on the table. "Thank you darling." he said, taking the cup and giving Merlin a kiss on the cheek before going back to his books.

"Want to try a marshmallow?" Merlin asked putting a few in his drink.

"What's that then?"

"It's really just sugar mix with other ingredients. But they normally come with a hot chocolate." Merlin smiled and sipped his drink. "What are you reading?"

Arthur took a marshmallow and took a bite. "Squishy." he said as he ate. "Oh I am not reading, just looking at pictures, do you think you could use your magic to make certain parts of me look like some of these pictures please?"

"Umm I guess I could glamour you but why? This isn't a kinky thing is it?" Merlin asked raising an eyebrow. "Because if it is I'm telling you know I'm not into that."

"No Merlin, definitely not, I want to show you love when we make love not horror, this is something I need you to do for me tomorrow about half eleven. Can you?"

"Umm I guess so. You sure you don't want to tell me why?" Merlin asked confused.

"You will see why tomorrow darling."

"I look forward to it then." Merlin moved so he could sit next to Arthur and rested his head on the other man's shoulders.

"Look at this picture here, whoever drew this has obviously never seen a bullet wound, when I gave my Captain cover when Stevens went down and got shot as soon as they were safe it made a right mess of me, that's the scar you saw just under my heart." Arthur said pointing to a certain drawing before turning the page.

"You were very brave; I know your parents were given your purple heart." Merlin whispered.

Arthur turned to Merlin. "You still have my medals? I made it so you would get them."

"They went to your parents but before I moved your mother gave it to me, she felt guilty that I didn't get to say goodbye to ..." Merlin closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"What was that? Merlin finish that sentence. Didn't get to what?"

"That I didn't get to say goodbye to you, that I wasn't allowed to attend your funeral." Merlin whispered.

Arthur banged the table in anger knowing there was nothing he could do now. "My darling I am so sorry, they should have never kept you away."

"They didn't like me Arthur; you know they thought I was leading you to sin. Your father told me it was because I had made you go against god that's why you died." Merlin couldn't stop the tears that ran down his cheeks.

Arthur gathered Merlin into his arms. "I cannot apologise enough for my father's behaviour, when did they die?"

"Before the war ended. Sometime in 1917." Merlin answered.

"A year after me? Do you know what happened?"

"The area they lived in was bombed, many people lost loved ones, their homes. Sadly your parent's home was one of the buildings that got it." Merlin informed him.

Arthur just nodded. "I am sorry for how they treated you."

"They just lost their son Arthur, I understood their feelings. I shared their feelings."

"Yes you shared their pain they got to say goodbye to me you didn't and yet your name was the first thing that left my lips when I got shot and it was the first thing I said when I woke up and you were the last thing on my mind before I went to sleep."

"It's nice to know that. I always wondered if you thought of me in those last moments." Merlin whispered.

"Merlin my love it has always been you, whose arms did I die in? Yours. It has always been you."

"I don't wish to dwell on the topic of your death first or second any more than I have to." Merlin replied.

"I am sorry we shall speak no more of it. Now then are you going to tell me how you use that cooker so I can actually surprise you and cook you a meal sometime." Arthur said in order to cheer Merlin up, standing up he handed his cup to Merlin and picked him up, carrying him up the stairs and only placing him on his feet once they were in the kitchen.

Merlin laughed. "Why don't I show you and tomorrow you can cook for us."

"Deal."

Merlin spent the next hour and a half showing Arthur how to use everything in the kitchen while also making dinner for them at the same time.

"Right I think I have it, good job you always have plenty of cookbooks."

It was the next day when Arthur ran into their bedroom and dropped some books on the bed, "now then I need my face like this, my torso like this, legs like this and my clothes ripped like this." he said pointing to different pictures.

Merlin looked down at the books before looking about at Arthur. "And you still don't want to tell me why?"

"You will see why soon."

Merlin rolled his eyes at the same time as they glowed gold, changing Arthur so that half of his face was just bone and the other half with the flesh peeling off while his torso turned to look as if a bunch of hungry wolves had feed upon him, his organs either missing or hanging out of the gaping wound in the centre of his chest. Arthur legs morphed into that of a Wolf so did his arms where his clothing turned into bloody strips of fabric that hung lowly off his body leaving nothing to the imagination.

"Thank you!" he said as he looked in a mirror to see how he looked, "now as for what I am doing, watch from the window."

Merlin laughed. "Okay. I'll make a start on lunch while I'm in the kitchen."

"Make sure you are at the window by noon Merlin that is important."

Arthur walked outside and hid in the bushes and waited, he only had to wait five minutes before a group of twelve came into view all laughing and talking, Arthur waited until they got closer before jumping up, screeching and roaring waving his arms wanting to attack.

The group screamed and turned and ran leaving all of their stuff behind. "And fucking stay out!" Arthur shouted after them before laughing.

Merlin couldn't help but laugh as he watched the group run for their lives and a smile appeared on his lips at the thought of never having to see them again but he hoped that no one else would come in search of the monster Arthur was pretending to be.

An hour later Merlin was leaning against Arthur drinking a cup of tea while the TV played in the background when there was a knock on the door. Arthur smiled and kissed Merlin's forehead before getting up and and answering the door.

"Mr Emrys?" A man in a policeman's uniform asked.

"Who's asking?"

"I'm Officer James; I'm here because we got reports of a monster in the woods." The officer replied.

"We have been in all day and not seen anything." he said but looked over his shoulder. "Merlin love. Door." he called out.

Merlin smiled as he reached the door. "What is the problem?"

"This man here says there are reports of a monster in these woods." Arthur said before turning to the man. "I thought monsters only existed in fairy tales."

"I'm afraid you have wasted your time. It must have been someone from that group we chased off this morning. I don't want to make trouble but this is my land, it's private property and I've done everything the laws and yet I have to deal with children and adults breaking the law every day and you are not doing anything about it." Merlin said trying to keep himself calm but the tears were already starting to fall.

Arthur put his arm around Merlin. "Who are these children upsetting my husband? He has kept himself to himself, stayed out of trouble and played everything by the law. Who are these kids that are not doing the same?" he asked.

"I'll have to look into that, I'm terribly sorry that this has been lead to go on and next don't be afraid to press charges. We can't allow children to believe they can get away from breaking the law." the officer answered. "I've very sorry for having wasted your time with this matter."

"As long as you keep those kids of this property. I worked in London and had to give up my job to come home and look after him because of what those kids were doing to him, it's not just trespassing, it is bullying as well, name calling." Arthur said.

"I'll make sure that I find out who they are have words with them, but next do call the police and press chargers if you don't they may never learn." The officer nodded.

Arthur nodded and saw the officer out; once he shut the door he turned to Merlin. "Good job he didn't ask what job I had to leave behind in London."

Merlin smiled. "Well maybe we can get you a real job soon. And why did you tell that officer I was your husband?"

"Because within a month you will be." Arthur said putting a possessive arm around the brunet. "I did promise you in that letter after all did I not? And as for the job stuff I have a job, cleaning here when you are not, seeing to your garden, protecting you, pleasuring you."

"We don't really have to worry about money, or having a job. I've saved up more than enough for two life times." Merlin joked.

"I still don't like taking what is yours, I will work something out."

"What's mine is yours." Merlin smiled and kissed Arthur's cheek.

"In that case." Arthur said as he walked up to Merlin. He took off Merlin's top and pulled down his jogging bottoms along with his boxer briefs and helped him out of them before throwing the naked brunet over his shoulder. "I will have some of this arse right here." he said, slapping one of Merlin's arse cheeks.

Merlin laughed. "You already had some."

"Well I am greedy I want more." he said as he carried Merlin off to the bedroom. Merlin laughed as he let Arthur carry him upstairs, he was telling the truth when he told Arthur they didn't need to work for money and he wouldn't want Arthur to, he had to stand aside and watch the man he loved Marry another and watch him die in his arms, he prayed his return and when his prayers were answered he lost him again. Now he knew he finally had his Arthur back, immortal or not he was not letting Arthur out of his sight ever again.

_**The end.**_


End file.
